"Collections" is the process by which creditors try to get nonpaying debtors to pay the money they owe. There are a huge number of laws in Smiths Station, Alabama governing the tactics that collection agencies can and cannot do.

What if I Am Owed Money in Smiths Station, Alabama?

If you are owed money and the debtor refuses to pay, you have some options at your disposal. However, you must tread lightly when it comes to collecting your debts. Creditors and collectors are governed by specific consumer protection laws. Violating these laws can hurt your chances of recovering what you are owed, and even subject you to civil or criminal penalties.

For example, it should go without mentioning that creditors are not allowed to use threatened or actual violence when attempting to collect. They are also not allowed to use abusive language to the debtor, or contact a third party about the debt.

What you can do, however, is send an invoice of the debt to the debtor, along with a firm (but civil) demand for timely payment. If the debt is significant, you might also want to hire a collection agency in Smiths Station, Alabama. You should make sure that any agency you hire is reputable, and has not been cited for violations of the rules governing collections.

What if Someone Is Trying to Collect Money Against Me in Smiths Station, Alabama?

If you actually owe the money that they are attempting to collect, and are able to pay it, doing so would be your best option for ending the collections calls. Of course, this is not everybody's situation. When dealing with collectors, you should try to maintain the high ground by behaving in a calm and amicable manner. In any event, you should never ignore the problem, as this usually makes things worse.

Fortunately, you have some options in Smiths Station, Alabama. First of all, you should attempt to contact the creditor directly, and see if something can be worked out. If this doesn't work, you can demand that the collection agency stop contacting you by phone. When this happens, they are not allowed to contact you further. This, of course, doesn't make the debt go away, but if the calls are becoming unbearable, it might buy you a little bit of time. Usually, when this happens, the creditor gives up on extra-judicial collections, and files a lawsuit against the debtor.

If you have hired a Smiths Station, Alabama attorney to help you through this process, he or she may advise that you declare bankruptcy. Once this occurs, creditors are legally barred from trying to collect against the debtor. Of course, this is a major decision, and should not be made lightly.

How Can a Smiths Station, Alabama Collections Attorney Help?

If you think that the collection agency is violating the law in its effort to collect, you should probably call a Smiths Station, Alabama attorney, since such conduct on the part of the creditor may actually give you a claim for damages against it.

If you are thinking about bankruptcy, a seasoned Alabama bankrutpcy attorney can help guide you through the process.